As many as 1 million people – half of them children – are still living in grim conditions in camps across Haiti six months after January's devastating earthquake.
Friday 9 July 2010
Overcrowded, living in plastic tents in temperatures of up to 36 degrees Celsius, often without decent sanitation and at imminent risk of hurricanes, the conditions in the camps are harsh for everyone. But for children, life in the camps is particularly tough.
Many have become separated from their friends and family and are vulnerable to malnutrition, disease and crime, exploitation and abuse.
“Children in Haiti are among those having the hardest time recovering from the earthquake,” said Gareth Owen, Save the Children’s director of emergencies. “Many are still trying to cope with the grief of losing loved ones, their homes, their toys – everything that gave them their sense of identity. It’s hard for an adult to cope, let alone a child.”
“Making sure children can recover emotionally and get the long-term support they need to get over their grief and feel safe again is as pressing a humanitarian need as the provision of food and water,” Owen continued.
As well as providing lifesaving supplies, we have helped 10,000 children start to recover emotionally from the earthquake through our child-friendly spaces – specially supervised areas where trained staff run activities with children, allowing them to play and learn together and regain some sense of normality in a protected setting. We're also working to establish child protection committees and mobilise communities to provide social services for children and families.
We have been working in Haiti for over 30 years. We were on the ground when the earthquake hit and will continue to work in the country for many years to come.
In the last six months, Save the Children has provided life-saving assistance to 682,000 children. We have distributed food to 300,000 people and provided clean water and sanitation for 230,000 people. In addition, we have helped 45,000 children get back to school.
But in a country where most families were in need of assistance before the earthquake and where the devastation and destruction to children’s lives was so acute, a long-term process of intense reconstruction, rehabilitation and investment is essential.
“Children are still in extreme risk in Haiti – from disease, from abuse and exploitation – and long-term attention to their needs is crucial if the country’s next generation is to have a stable and safe future,” says Gary Shaye, Save the Children's country director in Haiti. "International donors must live up to the commitments they made for longer-term funding and accountability. This is the only way to ensure true development for Haiti.”